User blog:MrSolomon/Doctor's Apprentice. Chapter 5 and 6.
Solomon's moving on up it seems. Well not before a near-death experience and a mental scarring. Chapters 5 and 6! 'Chapter 5: Technological Grangold and the Mountain of Fire. ' I awoke the next day, to a strange sight. My clothes were pre-set for me. Unusual but I did admit to liking the style and design. A pair of black pants with a belt made for holding specific items, a red and black vest that felt slightly armored with a light, flexible material, and lastly, a black coat with new gloves and boots. I donned my new gear and grabbed my blade but noticed my backpack was missing. I searched around my room but decided to check if I left it in the main area. I headed for the door when Promestein entered. "Good morning Solomon, I see you found your new uniform?" She asked. "Good morning Master Promestein," I said, "Yes it's very nice. Thank you, but where is my backpack?" "I preserved your records and notes and had that backpack disposed of." She answered. "Why?" I asked. It was a gift, so naturally I felt bad about it being disposed of. "Because, this is much better for you." She handed me a strange, black, box-like backpack. I opened it to find my stuff perfectly fine. "This new storage pack here will aid you in your travels." Although I still felt bad. I was still impressed by this new pack's durability and room. "Woah, thanks!" I responded as I put it on my back. The black box soon beeped as a small arm extended out of it waving a hand. "What is this?" I looked at it surprised. She smiled at my surprise. "Honestly Solomon, you've been here a while and are still in wonder about the technology." She said. "That, is your back claw. A third arm for aiding you in many uses. It can move freely, but it can also be controlled by your own will." I focused and the arm began to move at my own will as she stated. "Amazing!" I said. "Wait, what's with all these gifts?" I asked. "Gifts? Oh don't misunderstand," she said "These are necessities for important tasks. Come with me, I have two more things you should get." With that, we moved to the central room. Laplace stood by a pair of goggles and a large, sheet-covered object on a table. Promestein took the goggles and handed me them. "Try these on. Remove your glasses first." I removed my glasses and wore the goggles. I was surprised to see the lens were made similarly to my own glasses. "New glasses? Kind of bulky don't you think?" I asked. Promestein then shook her head. "They aren't for fashion you idiot." she said, "These goggles are high-tech scanners and eye protection." She pushed a button on the left side of them and they then filled my vision with various data of surroundings as they displayed in red coloring. I looked at Laplace and suddenly various parts of her body were highlighted as data showed information on her. I read it carefully. "Interesting," I said. "Your goggles will scan targets informing you on various data. They are based off our data-bases and your notes." Laplace explained. "However their scanners cannot detect angels. So Promestein and other potential angels you could meet you can't scan." "I see," I responded as I looked at Promestein shortly before turning the goggles off. "They also synergize with Grandine. You can scan whilst the serene flow is active to truly be ahead of your foes." Promestein mentioned. It seems she wants me well prepared for whatever my next mission is. "Your next piece of tech however, is still in production. It will be ready when your mission in complete I'm sure." "Why are you giving me this?" I asked. Promestein looked at me and then said; "You are surely a loyal follower. I trust you with these." I looked at her, "You trust me?" I had to ask, I hadn't been here very long. So she had no reason to. "Indeed. You are loyal, dedicated, and efficient. I can't afford to lose the potential aid you bring to the Seekers of Truth." I smiled and nodded. "Then my next mission Master?" I asked eagerly. Feeling confidence after her praising of me. Promestein began to give briefing; "Your mission has two parts. First: You must venture to Grangold. And retrieve a data report on my invention there. I had given that kingdom technology to control and create monsters there. Infiltrate the castle and head to the computer in the Queen Ant's chambers. She is being controlled by a prototype device of mine. Your new goggles will locate the device and show you what you must do." I nodded. "So sneak into the castle and print a data report on the Queen Ant." "Correct," Promestein said before she resumed; "Secondly: Enter Gold Volcano through a higher entrance away from monster view, and retrieve Salamanders energy." After she said that she pushed a button on my backpack as my back-claw retracted itself and my clothes shifted color to that of a normal professor. Similarly to Promestein's attire. "That will be your cloaking. I will warp you inside the city. Now off you go." I nodded as Laplace handed me the extractor for the final time. I grabbed my supplies and proceeded to warp to Grangold. Arriving in an abandoned alleyway, I entered the city streets. The city was in a bustle with humans and monsters. However, it was far different than Grand Noah. The monsters looked mostly artificial and alongside them as well were Ant Girls following humans around and doing all of the work. The artificial monsters were golems of various types of materials and sizes and are man-made which explains their labor but after remembering Promestein's mission I figured out that these Ant Girls are following orders of a Queen being controlled by Promestein's design. I began to walk through the streets towards the castle, seeing more lazy human workers and more hard-working Ant Girls. If an uprising happened by the monsters this city would be immediately conquered. I stopped by an Ant Girl and decided to try and talk to her. "Hello. How are you?" I asked politely. "Very busy! Keep working!" She quickly said and walked off back to her work. I continued heading in the direction of the castle, even the guards were just slacking soldiers with Ant Girls at their posts. In front of the main entrance to the castle I rushed to a nearby secluded area and removed my disguise. I had to begin my mission now. After awaiting an opening I decided to enter through a second story balcony by climbing the vines on the sides. I entered through the fortunately, unlocked balcony door and hid behind a couch until a scientist entered the room to close the door I entered through. I rushed and grabbed him using the back claw to cover his mouth. "Hold still." I said as he tried to struggle. I opened a closet and threw him inside, barricading the door with a chair. I reapplied my disguise and walked outside the room heading towards the first floor. Leaving my goggles unhidden I used them to scan the area downstairs. "Two guards, three scientists, and four Ant Girls." I then turned off my scanner and entered the room in disguise hoping to gain access to the Queen's chambers. A guard noticed me passing by. "You there? I haven't seen you before." He noticed me easily. I thought of a commonly used but believable lie. "Oh!" I looked around playing innocent as I said. "I'm a new scientist. Just got out of the required training. I was sent to the Queen Ant's chambers to help out. Mind pointing me in the right direction?" The guard looked at me. The Ant Girls merely looked at me before they walked off to patrol elsewhere. The scientists who would normally easily call my bluff were too busy and went to the next rooms. The guard finally pointed towards a door and said; "There's the basement entrance. You'll find our chief scientist there with the Ant Queen. Stay out of trouble." He then walked off as I headed towards the basement. I headed down the stairs watching the scientist examine the machine as she made sure it was working. I remained hidden as I used the scanner on the machine. Right where she was standing was the device I had to use to retrieve the intel. I decided to try and approach her civilized and disguised. I walked up to her and acted like a 'new guy' would act towards a superior. "Greetings! I am the new scientist. I was told to retrieve a data report from you involving the Queen Ant." I smiled as I said that. If she did caught on I will just have to pray to Ilias there is another closet to stuff more scientists inside. Aside from swarms of Ant Girls I can easily fight the castle guards. The scientist looked at me and then said; "Oh well if that's all then let me get it right up for you." She turned around and before she began typing she immediately turned around. "Hey wait a minute! We don't hire new scientists and we also don't print reports on the machines regularly!" But before she can call security, I grabbed her and held her mouth shut while the back claw held her arms behind her back. I looked around and found a piece of torn wiring from an older machine and tied her arms up and used a cloth to tie her mouth shut. "Then I guess I have to get it myself. Don't get up now." I said and headed towards the computer and used my goggles scanners. Steps on the button combinations to press appeared as I began inputting the commands to print a status report. Shortly after, a report appeared and I read it. I used the communicator to contact Promestein. "This is Solomon. Report has been obtained. Returning to base." "Excellent work. Location tracked, retrieving you now." Answered Laplace as she retrieved me. I was soon teleported back to the Drain Lab. When I arrived. I handed the report to Promestein. She read it over. "Interesting, it seems the seal on the Queen Ant may go unstable within a few years." She said. I nodded my head. "Well I already figured if the Ant Girls managed to rise against the people the city wouldn't last. They were very lazy and dependent on your designs it seems." I removed my disguise. "For the northernmost kingdom of Sentora and the most technologically advanced city, they sure had poor security." Promestein shook her head, "It seems I now understand Ilias' reasoning behind her proposed idea." "Idea?" I asked. Promestein looked up at me, "It's nothing. Nothing concerning you. By the way we observed your mission." She pointed at the hand of the back claw. Revealing a small lens. "Very impressive, you only had to tie up two of the staff." I looked up at the lens. "You watched me? I guess that's useful to do so but why would you do it? Don't you trust me?" I asked. "I do trust your loyalty with these tasks despite being aware of what the humans in our experiments go through." She began to answer, "Although if you were captured, we'd have to be aware of your status. Don't think of it as spying or breathing down your neck, just as observing and preparing to retrieve you should you fail your mission." I had to agree with her, retrieving me in the worst case scenario would be best. Although I'm unsure of if I was devoured or murdered by a monster of how she would save me then. Promestein then moved to a table and grabbed a strangely shaped staff. Shaped like a wizard's only altered to give more of a feel like a sort of ranged weapon. She handed it to me. "Alright, now your next mission has many high-threat enemies and Salamander herself will be able to see you throughout your time inside the volcano. So this is the perfect opportunity to learn how to use this." She said. "What is this?" I asked as I grabbed the staff. "A modified Trooperoid arm combined with a rare onyx colored metal utilized in constructing near-indestructible spears and staffs. Given modifications here and there." She said. "It's a Gun-staff by simplified name." I knew of her Trooperoids, having literal hundreds of them in reserve ready for deployment at her command. I grabbed it and held it like a crossbow. It seemed to shine with a crimson light as energy gathered at the edge. "What does it shoot?" I asked, looking at its trigger. "Electric bolts. Charged bolts can trigger paralysis." She answered, "You shouldn't get up close and personal with Lava girls, Basilisks or even Dragon Girls, so here's a means to keep them at bay." I held it and aimed around the room. It felt heavy making it difficult to aim without two hands. "I'll have to swap between this and my sword often it seems." I used the back claw to grab it, having an easy time holding it up however. It then placed the gun-staff on a special clip hooking it to my backpack. "Now then, it's a prototype so don't go breaking it." She said. "It's been tested and confirmed to have only a 1% chance of overloading. Which just results in power-failure. Even then, it's a tough material so you can give your foe a good smack with it. Although Laplace did calculate it having a 0.04% chance of making an explosion the size of Chrome's manor hideout." "What?!" I jumped back. Those numbers were small. But still frightening. "Oh don't be scared. I'll be sending you off now, experiment with that weapon when you can!" She said as she teleported me away. Almost noticing a faint, adorable smile at the joy of test-driving an experiment. I arrived at the foot of Gold Volcano. The scent of smoke in the air as I looked up the large volcanic mountain. I noticed the normal cavern entrance at the base. I decided to search as I climbed the mountain for a different entrance. The device held by my back-claw slowly draining energy from Salamander. Carefully climbing I reach a small cavern entrance halfway up the volcano. As I examined the cavern, a figure walked out towards me. "Oh, what's a human doing all the way out here?" Said the figure as she revealed to be a Basilisk, a very famous monster that turns people to stone. But through saliva. My goggles scanned mostly around her mouth confirming her method of petrification through saliva. "What luck! I'll play with you then." She smiled as she slowly approached me. Thinking fast I aimed my gun-staff and called Zylphe. "If you know what's good for you, you'll just be leaving." I said. Basilisks are scarcely seen outside mountains, but I knew it would be a tough fight. "Well I guess I'll just have to make you a statue for my amusement." She said as she lunged towards me with her mouth opened. But I dodged and smacked her with the gun-staff. I quickly jumped back and shot her with a small bolt. She immediately jumped at the sudden electric shock hitting her. "Gah! You shocked me!" She yelled out. I looked at her, pleased to see it worked. "Wow! This is quite useful." I took aim and wanted to try a charged shot to test its paralysis. "You got lucky, but you're mine now." She lunged using her mouth again. I dodged and charged a bolt and fired it at her. Not only did it shock her and damage her, but her body was made stiff by the voltage. She was unable to move. "I'm stuck!" "That's it!" I swapped to my blade and used Zylphe's power to thrust forward quickly striking her and knocking her back. I thought of using it's paralysis to set up perfect attack combinations with the artificial spirits. "Now away with you!" I yelled out. The Basilisk stood after her paralysis faded and looked at me shocked. "Gah! You're too full of electricity. I might get shocked to death playing with you." She ran off down the mountainside, leaving the cavern entrance unguarded. I entered the cavern slowly. Until I received a communicator call by Promestein. "Forgot to mention. You have a light source in your gun-staff. the flip switch. Good luck." She then hung up. I didn't know what was worse, the fact she waited until I was several steps in a dark cave to remember, or that an angel who has lived since humans were primitive and savage and remembered literally hundreds if not thousands of years of scientific research forgot to tell me other features of her technology. I flipped the switch to find the light very bright. Easily illuminating the cavern. I wondered if that bright light could flash and cause blinding to close-up targets. I soon didn't need the light as I was inside the volcano, I stood at a cliff as the elemental extractor began rapidly filling. The heat immense as I was inside the volcano itself. Smoke was rising from below blocking my sight in some areas. I looked down and discovered two high-level monsters through the scanner. The smaller of the two labeled as 'Threat: High' and the other labeled as 'Extreme Threat: Approach with caution' as stated by the scanner. They appeared to be having a conversation. One gave the appearance of a young girl but covered in flames. Scan confirmed her as Salamander herself. The second of the Spirits I have seen now. The other however, as soon as the goggles gave a clear image of her I nearly jumped back. A dragoness, a swordsman of fire, a powerful monster feared by many man and monster alike. Without a doubt it was Granberia, of the Heavenly Knights. The two knew each other it seemed. Although the volcanic smoke prevented me being seen, I could still hear the conversation from afar. "So you lost to Aliphese the 16th in the end? And if you had won what would have happened then?" Asked Salamander. "I would have given the throne back. I had no interest in becoming the Monster Lord anyways. I thought I had the upper hand. But she soon turned the tables and defeated me." Granberia Answered. It seems Granberia challenged the Monster Lord for the title. But would have given it back. "That's just like you Granberia, to always be eager to see the potential of a good fighter." Salamander said, "You're all grown up but still the same." It was difficult making out their expressions but it seemed they have been friends a long time. "Honestly Salamander. I'm not a child anymore." She said but sighed. "But I still respect you as my teacher. Despite surpassing you." The extractor was nearly completely full of Salamander's energy however I soon heard Salamander speak again; "We aren't alone. I can feel, a slight draining of my power. I can sense a human inside the volcano." She immediately looked in my direction. "He has strange power, we can't let him get away. My energy in human hands. He could have dark intentions." I grabbed my gun-staff and prepared to leave after hearing that. I fortunately heard the now familiar 'Extraction Complete' voice. But then I hear a shout from afar as I aimed towards them to stun one of them in the event of them catching up to me. I slowly began a charge of a paralyzing shot. Facing the two. "Demon Decapitation!" Granberia had shouted as I suddenly see her jump clear across the volcanic pit and the smoke towards me holding her blade. Nothing but absolute fear filled me as I looked up at her about to swing her blade clear at my neck. I released my charged shot not a second to early or late, shocking her and sending her falling right in front of me. Paralyzed, she could only look up at me as I immediately used the communicator. "Mission complete! Pick me up! Pick me up! Pick me up now! Please she's going to murder me!" I yelled quickly panicking. As I began running away before being teleported back to the drain lab. I was teleported mid run as I ran past Promestein and stopped suddenly seeing the Lab instead of Gold Volcano. I quickly handed Promestein the extractor and fell over, nearly fainting as I tried to catch my breath. "What happened? You sounded like you met an angry Dark Goddess." Asked Promestein. I merely looked at her panting still before saying; "Volcano... dragoness... nearly died..." Promestein turned towards the monitor to view the recordings of my mission playback to see my near-death experience with Granberia. "My word. You could have died back there." she commented. "Nice shot though. I'm glad to see my technology has strengthened you so well." I re-watched that experience and fainted shortly after. Unable to believe or handle the fact that a Heavenly Knight just charged at me like that and I lived. 'Chapter 6: Black Alice meets Solomon, now a Seeker of Truth. ' I suddenly awoken in a forest. Humans near me seemed strange. Wearing little to no clothing, they ignored me as they traveled like a hunting pack. Savoring a fresh kill of a raw deer they killed with spears. I then realized these humans were savages, eating the deer raw. They could have cooked it, make it less risky to eat. Suddenly a flash of white light appeared as a young angel descended holding a torch of fire. However the flash of light shining behind her hit my eyes and as I flinched back I found myself waking up in my bed, minus my clothing. "What was that dream?" I asked to myself as I rubbed sleep out my eyes. Feeling stiff as I awoke, I dressed and headed towards the center hall. There awaited Promestein, La Croix, and Laplace having their usual meetings. I stood back and let them finish before approaching Promestein. "Good morning Promestein." I say as I approach her. "Ah, Solomon. We were just talking about you." Promestein said, "And it's the afternoon, normally you don't oversleep when I require your services." "Ah! I'm sorry." I bow my head as I apologized. "No need to stress yourself, I had injected the artifical Salamander, Gigamander, inside you whilst you were fainted. However I had Knightroid test it instead." Promestein said. "I also required a few samples, so I proceeded to extract them." "No wonder I felt stiff waking up." I looked at her. Obviously knowing she extracted my energy through sexual means. I then noticed what appeared to be several containers on a large cart of sorts. "What are those?" I asked. "Your next and final task as part of our deal." Promestein answered. My final task, I had almost forgotten that I agreed to help her to spare my life. It had been weeks since I first arrived. "What shall I do then?" I asked. "These are hundreds of mass produced Artificial Spirits. My partner's forces are ready to receive them to prepare for their next action." Promestein looked towards me and asked. "Do you know who my partner is?" I thought to myself, then attempted to guess; "Ilias herself?" "Incorrect. Angels may not fully be capable of utilizing these artificial spirits." Promestein answered. "Then the opposite of Ilias. The Monster Lord?" "Why yes. Do you know of the Monster Lord that the hero Heinrich killed?" She then asked. "Black Alice? I read she was considered unmatched in power and a powerful tyrant. But she was killed 500 years ago." I said. "Right?" I had a dark thought in my mind. What if Promestein went out of her way to revive Black Alice for some plan? "Well your mission is to accompany me with the Artificial Spirits to my partner's domain. There are many very high leveled monsters within. So stay close to me. I have convinced her not to attack you, but if her minions cross the line you may use non-lethal force in self-defense." She said. In self-defense was good enough. As it's in my better nature to not upset her allies. "Yes Promestein." I said as I held the cart. We teleported out of the lab. We arrived at the entrance to a dark cavern. As I entered I followed Promestein closely. We soon entered a large open area. Several high leveled monsters were seen. A trio of Vampires, A tall, pink-haired one in black robes. The other shorter and by appearance younger with white hair and less clothing, and the middle of the three blonde, and dressed in regal clothing. A Queen Vampire, truly a rare sight. Nearby were Spider-girls, the larger of the group wearing a Yamatai kimono and having purple hair and dark eyes. Across the clearing, I saw a mermaid and her young daughter and next to them a high-leveled succubus with black hair. They looked at us but remained silent as a figure appeared in the middle of the room. She was of fair height with long blonde hair and red eyes. Wearing a long, blue and white dress and holding a teddy bear. A dark aura radiated from her. Even her teddy bear appeared to have a more intimidating appearance than most of what I've encountered so far. "Promestein, so you've arrived." She said and then looked at me. "So this is the human you requested us not to harm? He isn't entirely weak it seems. Maybe worth my time to play with. He is smart to be afraid however. We'd normally torture or kill any human who actually walks into this area." I looked at her, I had every right to fear her. Despite her young appearance, she appears to lead this entire group of monsters. "Black Alice. Here is the artificial spirits. They are being mass produced now, thanks to my subordinate's efficiency." Promestein said. Hearing that name, I immediately figured it out. Black Alice was revived, and she is now working with Promestein. "Solomon, bring Black Alice the Spirits." "Yes Master Promestein." I cautiously approached her, her subordinates examining me. With so much as a slight signal any of them would be allowed to kill me. It's a former Monster Lord I'm dealing with. So I should at least speak to her as royalty. As I approached her, I decided to present the spirits to her as if she were a queen: "Here you are Lord Black Alice." I said then had bowed before her. She merely raised an eyebrow at me, then proceeded to giggle. "A human with manners? My my, I've killed easily hundreds if not thousands of your kind. Are you that afraid of dying?" She said and looked at me. "I do respect that 'Lord Black Alice.' I am no fake Monster Lord." "Well Lord Black Alice," I said also making sure to refer to her as 'Lord' due to her former status. It seems my plan worked. "it's an honor meeting you." I walked towards Promestein. Black Alice soon spoke up; "Your subordinate is quite a fun human Promestein. Perhaps he should stay here some time and me and him could play." I immediately widened my eyes in shock and began sweating nervously. Her idea of play is very likely to be involving painful and fatal ideas towards me. "The offer is tempting Black Alice, But I haven't had him step out of line to the point where you'd get to have him... yet." Promestein said. Extremely grim for her to mention that this is a possible punishment. "I need all of the Seeker's of Truth for both our plans and my own. This includes him so please do not kill him." I had returned to Promestein and stood at her side. Hearing what she said, she included me along with Laplace, Lily, Chrome and La Croix. My fear was immediately replaced with a joyful feeling. "Farewell for now Black Alice. We shall meet again when Ilias calls us to Heaven." Promestein said as we warped away. But as we arrived at the Drain Lab, I immediately realized everything. Ilias... Promestein... Black Alice... The Goddess, The chimera-constructing Angel who started humanity's evolution and desire for knowledge, and the 8th Monster Lord. All in an alliance? It sounded crazy but I realized now it's the truth. I could only look at Promestein as she faced away from me. "You realized now what and who I am working with?" Promestein asked. "Ilias and Black Alice... together." I quietly said. "And you know just what their goals are?" She asked. "Destroying the current Monster Lord. Angels, Monsters, and your Chimeras in an army." I said. "And now you know, what happened to Remina." She said. The Slaughter of Remina. A massacre of immense proportions in the former largest city in Hellgondo. Thirty years ago the town was wiped out in a massacre. "You did it?" I asked. "Alongside Ilias' troops." She said and turned to fact me, all the doors suddenly closing. Promestein revealed her angelic wings and halo. "Which means, you now know too much Solomon." I backed away slowly. As an angel, I'm unable to even touch her. "We had a deal." I said. Unable to even believe what's happening. Promestein smirked and said; "We had a deal. But here's a new deal. Your knowladge and power are growing faster than I predicted. Join me, as a permanent addition to the Seekers of Truth." I thought about it, it seemed like a great offer. I had to ask however; "What about my friends and family?" "You must chose Solomon, Knowledge and Power, or risking the lives of many to return to your own life." She answered. I thought about what she said. If I did escape, I have little knowledge of how to return home and it seems she is willing to pursue me and endanger others. I then bowed my head, I closed my eyes, and answered: "I choose to pursue knowledge. At your side Master Promestein." Promestein only smiled as the doors opened. She then approached me and moved to the side as the lab entrance was before me. "Then we have much work to do. Your training and studies begin immediately." I nodded my head and walked through the doors, Promestein followed, and from this point onward, I was now to be known as: Solomon, The Seeker of Truth. Category:Blog posts